In our final issue last year, we offered a look back at 2017 and meaningful takeaways for authors from industry news and trends. Now that we’re a week into 2018, here are some highlights from 2017 look-back articles, as well as some crystal-ball gazing from a variety of industry figures.
Publishers Weekly rounds up the biggest traditional publishing news stories of 2017. At the top of the list: Simon & Schuster cancels the Yiannopoulos book deal—a move that has led to litigation (which is still pending) and revelations of sizzling editorial notes. PW also summarizes changes at Amazon that allow third-party sellers to “win” the Buy button for books; how print book sales rose again, based on BookScan figures; changes to book coverage at the New York Times; and more.
Author Kristine Kathryn Rusch has the most in-depth review of both traditional publishing and indie publishing in 2017. Rusch argues that big money in traditional publishing is increasingly about rights sales rather than straight up book sales. This leads to worse contracts and rights grabs, and an arms race to acquire and hold on to intellectual property, making rights reversions more difficult. More installments in her 2017 year in review are yet to come; we’ll link to them in future issues as they become available.
Orna Ross at the Alliance of Independent Authors offers self-publishing predictions for 2018. Among the trends cited: growth in interactive and collaborative fiction, better and more strategic use of technology (everything from author websites to virtual assistants and AI to blockchain), and continued growth and inspiring activity at Wattpad.
This 2018 book-manufacturing outlook predicts shorter print runs and ultra-fast turnarounds. Julie Greenbaum at Book Business magazine speaks to major US book printers for their insights. Significant drivers of their business include the emergence of Amazon same-day delivery; demand for smaller, digital runs—in part to minimize inventory; and a “murky” outlook for K-12 materials.
Editors at Scholastic predict the top five trends in kids’ books for 2018. They mention (with examples of forthcoming titles): “more books will celebrate strong female characters”; “the demand for kid-friendly nonfiction will grow”; iconic series and characters will return in new stories; “magical creatures will take children to new worlds”; and books will feature more hands-on activities to educate children about STEM fields.
The Good e-Reader has an in-depth look at global audiobook trends and statistics for 2017 and 2018. Audiobooks continue to be the fastest-growing segment in the book publishing industry. Dramatically increased adoption of smart speakers in the home, such as Amazon Echo (Alexa), is expected. (Our side note: Look for more strategy and discussion about voice-driven-search marketing and content this year.)
Finally, Written Word Media collects ten predictions for 2018 from the indie author community. Among the more notable claims is that book marketing will become more expensive due to increased advertising costs on Facebook and Amazon; thus we’ll see greater experiments in connecting directly with the reader.
Bottom line: We haven’t seen any ground-breaking predictions or observations (including from us!) as we cross over into 2018. It’s the usual grab bag of “think long-term”; “be prepared for change”; and “those who are flexible and armed with some digital savvy will be better positioned to succeed.”
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
